Pluripotent cells, sometimes referred to as stem cells, are characterized by an ability to differentiate into a variety of different cells. Some pluripotent cells types, such as human embryonic stem cells, display an ability to differentiate into the broadest spectrum of cells; in fact, embryonic stem cells display an ability to differentiate into practically any type of cell that exists within the human tissues. However, as embryonic stem cells develop and differentiate into lines of partially and/or fully differentiated cells, those further differentiated cells lose some or all of their pluripotent ability because embryonic stem cells have the ability to “morph” into practically any cell type, the scientific community has explored the possibility of using these embryonic stem cells to replace those injured or dying cells in individuals suffering neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease.
However, embryonic stem cells have limitations in their ability to be used clinically, as they must be derived from another individual—an embryo. This not only raises a potential that the patient will reject the cells, but it also severely limits the ability for such cells to be used in the first place. Therefore, much effort has been made in finding pluripotent cells that are obtainable in large quantities, that can differentiate into a target cell, and that will not be rejected by the individual being treated thereby. One such pluripotent cell that has been used for autologous cell therapy to regenerate neural tissue is the pluripotent cells found in the “stromal” or “non-adipocyte” fraction of the adipose tissue. These pluripotent cells were previously considered to be pre-adipocytes, i.e. adipocyte progenitor cells (hereinafter “adipose stem cells” or “ASC”). Zuk, 2001. Data suggests that these adipose stem cells have a wide differentiation potential, as research by Zuk using subcutaneous human ASCs in vitro were able to be differentiated into adipocytes, chondrocytes and myocytes. Id. Further studies by Erickson et al., showed that human ASCs could differentiate in vivo into chondrocytes following transplantation into immune-deficient mice, and studies by Stafford showed that human ASCs were able to differentiate into neuronal cells. (Erickson, 2002); (Stafford, 2002). More recently, it was demonstrated that human ASCs were able to differentiate into neuronal cells, osteoblasts (Dragoo, 2003), cardiomyocyte (Rangappa, 2003; Planat-Benard, 2004), and endothelial cells (Planat-Benard, 2004). As such studies suggest that the delivery of certain pluripotent cells to neural tissue damaged by stroke or cardiovascular disease may cause regeneration of the damaged tissue through differentiation of the delivered pluripotent cells.
Therefore, treatments using autologous pluripotent cells, and ASCs in particular, have necessarily centered upon the harvest and concentration of the pluripotent cells from a remote area of the patient to be treated, followed by application of those concentrated pluripotent cells to an injured or targeted site so that the pluripotent cells can differentiate and take the place of the damaged cells at the target. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,078,230 to Wilkison et al.; U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. U.S. 2005/0260174 to Fraser et al.